Documents & Reports

Burundi ASA : study two report on the quality of education (English)

Abstract

The objective of this report is to explain the relatively good performance of Burundi in the PASEC and EGRA tests. Burundi had the highest scores of all participating countries in the PASEC evaluation, well above other countries (one standard deviation... See More +The objective of this report is to explain the relatively good performance of Burundi in the PASEC and EGRA tests. Burundi had the highest scores of all participating countries in the PASEC evaluation, well above other countries (one standard deviation, 100 points on a scale of 500). The EGRA results are also relatively good with acceptable levels of reading fluency and reading comprehension, close to Kenya and better than many other African countries1. The core question here is: What drives this good performance? What are the reasons for Burundi’s relative success? What actions can be envisaged to sustain and foster education quality in Burundi? What actions could be funded under a World Bank project? The analysis of administrative and legislative documents and teaching supports focused on the old curriculum (pre 2012/3), syllabus and cycle four textbooks (lower secondary), as well as legislative texts related to the current reform. Most of the interviews with officials and education partners took place as part of a World Bank mission to Burundi from 13 to 24 March 2017. The authors met with education officials at ministerial, provincial, communal and school levels as well as the technical and financial partners in Bujumbura. The exchanges focused on the implementation of fundamental school reform: the challenges they face, school curricula and teacher training. Unfortunately, we did not have the time to meet with the pupil's parents or attend a recently established school management committee meeting, which would have allowed us to assess further community participation. These new structures are not yet rigorously and systematically implemented. Interviews with teachers and principals took place in the form of group focus sessions. They focused on the teaching of reading and writing in cycle one and, in some cases, were followed by classroom observations.
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